For a while now I've been being shown ads on STW for an unusual looking device called the SwitchGrade. It wasn't obvious to me what it was and I just ignored it. Then today curiosity got the better of me and I clicked.
It turns out it's some sort of on the fly saddle tilt adjuster - you can adjust the tilt of your saddle for climbing, descending and riding undulating terrain.
I'm a totally unskilled pootler (and was surprised when dropper posts took off) so I'm probably not the best person to assess such things, but to me it looks like £170 to introduce a new source of creaking, and possibly some play, to your saddle.
So, is this the gamechanger it claims to be or just madness? It does have a few good reviews, but it's on the internet, so who knows?
“I’m a totally unskilled pootler (and was surprised when dropper posts took off)”
I’m a maybe moderately skilled rider of total mediocrity and thought the dropper post was a brilliant invention.
But I struggle to see the point of this - when the post is up the saddle is angled for pedalling. When it’s down I don’t care what the saddle is doing because I’m not sitting on it.
I've followed it's development on pinkbike and it seems to be a really well made piece of engineering, but I think it may have a limited user base. The theory is that by tilting it forward you get a better angle for steep climbs, and tilting it back effectively then gives you more room for descending. I think if you rode a lot of really steep climbs and descents it would be great, but not sure it will be universally adopted like the dropper post. I hope it does well and apart of me wants one, just because it looks so well made and they people who developed it have put a lot of thought into it.
I can see the benefits if you're a winch and plummet style rider but I think for the average person it's just extra complication/expense/weight. If it was significantly cheaper I think a decent number of people would buy it out of curiosity if it was nearer £50 but at it's current price I don't expect to be seeing one on the trails anytime soon.
I have ordered one for my locomoto. If it sucks no doubt will be in the classifieds for a reduced price.
Paul Aston liked it, I'm not sure I'll be buying one any time soon though.
I like the idea and may enter an AstonMTB competition to win one but I doubt I'd buy one at RRP as I'm reasonable comfortable with a flat seat at all times. Would be hugely beneficial if you're devotee of Chris Porter ;o)
Didn't specialized have a dropper that did this?
I like the idea
but i'm not taking my hand off to fanny around adjusting angles all the time..
